Arbitration mechanism for statistically multiplexed frame relay switching system

Claim 2

A frame relay switching system comprising: a plurality of frame relay channel units coupled to respective access lines for associated user equipments, and being operative to statistically multiplex data from said access lines onto an aggregate data communication link having a limited bandwidth that is less than the cumulative data capacity of said access lines; and a common arbitration link coupled to each frame relay channel unit and through which each frame relay channel unit shares arbitration information representative of the right to transmit over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link; and wherein each frame relay channel unit is operative to execute an arbitration routine for arbitrating the allocation of said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link among said access lines by performing the steps of: i) in response to a request from any of said plurality of access lines to transmit data supplied thereby over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link, generating an arbitration code that includes information representative of whether its associated access line has data to be transmitted, and an arbitration value based upon a combination of parameters, including queuing delay of data supplied by said associated access line and information customized for said associated access line, ii) coupling said arbitration codes generated in step i) to said common arbitration link, and iii) processing arbitration codes coupled to said common arbitration link to determine which channel unit has priority to transmit data over said limited bandwidth aggregate data link, and selectively providing the right to transmit data provided by its associated access line over said limited bandwidth aggregate data link, in response to said arbitration code being representative that said associated access line has transmission priority over all other access lines.

Claim 3

A frame relay switching system according to claim 1 , wherein step i) comprises generating said arbitration value in accordance with information customized for the configuration and traffic rate of said associated access line.

Claim 4

A frame relay switching system according to claim 1 , wherein said arbitration code includes address information associated with the physical location of said frame relay channel unit in said frame relay switching system.

Claim 5

A frame relay switching system according to claim 1 , wherein said accumulated queuing delay is representative of the length of time that has elapsed since said associated access line last had the right to transmit over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link.

Claim 6

A frame relay switching system according to claim 1 , wherein said common arbitration link is electrically wire-ORed, so that a first logical value associated with an idle condition corresponds to a first impedance state, and is driven to a second logical value associated with a request for participation in an arbitration cycle, such that assertion of both said first and second logical values by different channel units causes the logical value on said common arbitration link to be said second logical value, representing that at least one access line has data to transmit.

Claim 7

A frame relay switching system according to claim 1 , wherein said arbitration code includes a start bit representative of whether its associated access line has data to be transmitted, a multibit arbitration value code derived in accordance with said combination of parameters, and an address code that identifies the physical location of the respective channel unit.

Claim 8

A frame relay switching system according to claim 1 , wherein said information customized for said associated access line is representative of quality of service and committed information rate for said associated access line.

Claim 9

A frame relay switching system according to claim 1 , wherein step iii) comprises selectively providing the right to transmit data, supplied by said associated access line, over said limited bandwidth aggregate data link, in response to said arbitration code being uniquely the largest of all arbitration participants.

Claim 10

A frame relay switching system according to claim 1 , wherein step ii) comprises sequentially clocking respective bits of said arbitration code onto said common arbitration link, and wherein step iii) comprises, in response any bit of said arbitration code differing from the bit state of said common arbitration link, terminating participation in said allocation of said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link.

Claim 11

For use with frame relay switching system having a plurality of frame relay channel units that are coupled to respective access lines for associated user equipments, said frame relay channel units being operative to statistically multiplex data from said access lines onto an aggregate data communication link having a limited bandwidth that is less than the cumulative data capacity of all of said access lines, a method for arbitrating the allocation of said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link among said access lines comprising the steps of: (a) coupling each frame relay channel unit to a common arbitration link, through which each frame relay channel unit may simultaneously share arbitration information representative of the right to transmit over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link; (b) in response to a request from any of said plurality of access lines to transmit data supplied thereby over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link, generating within each frame relay channel unit an arbitration code that includes information representative of whether its associated access line has data to be transmitted, and an arbitration value based upon a combination of parameters, including accumulated queuing delay and information customized for said associated access line; (c) coupling arbitration codes generated in step (b) to said common arbitration link; and (d) at each frame channel unit, processing arbitration codes coupled to said common arbitration link to determine which channel unit has priority to transmit data over said limited bandwidth aggregate data link, and selectively providing the right to transmit data provided by its associated access line over said limited bandwidth aggregate data link, in response to said each frame relay channel unit's arbitration code being representative that said associated access line has transmission priority over all other access lines.

Claim 12

For use with frame relay switching system having a plurality of frame relay channel units that are coupled to respective access lines for associated user equipments, said frame relay channel units being operative to statistically multiplex data from said access lines onto an aggregate data communication link having a limited bandwidth that is less than the cumulative data capacity of all of said access lines, a method for arbitrating the allocation of said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link among said access lines comprising the steps of: (a) coupling each frame relay channel unit to a common arbitration link, through which each frame relay channel unit may simultaneously share arbitration information representative of the right to transmit over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link; (b) in response to a request from any of said plurality of access lines to transmit data supplied thereby over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link, generating within each frame relay channel unit an arbitration code that includes information representative of whether its associated access line has data to be transmitted, and an arbitration value based upon a combination of parameters, including accumulated queuing delay and information customized for said associated access line; (c) coupling arbitration codes generated in step (b) to said common arbitration link; and (d) at each frame channel unit, processing arbitration codes coupled to said common arbitration link to determine which channel unit has priority to transmit data over said limited bandwidth aggregate data link, and selectively providing the right to transmit data provided by its associated access line over said limited bandwidth aggregate data link, in response to said each frame relay channel unit's arbitration code being representative that said associated access line has transmission priority over all other access lines.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 10 , wherein step (b) comprises generating said arbitration value in accordance with information customized for the configuration and traffic rate of said associated access line.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 10 , wherein said arbitration code includes address information associated with the physical location of said each frame relay channel unit in said frame relay switching system.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 10 , wherein said accumulated queuing delay is representative of the length of time that has elapsed since said associated access line last had the right to transmit over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 10 , wherein said common arbitration link is electrically wire-ORed, so that a first logical value associated with an idle condition corresponds to a first impedance state, and is driven to a second logical value associated with a request for participation in an arbitration cycle, such that assertion of both said first and second logical values by different channel units causes the logical value on said common arbitration link to be said second logical value, representing that at least one access line has data to transmit.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 10 , wherein said arbitration code includes a start bit representative of whether its associated access line has data to be transmitted, a multibit arbitration value code derived in accordance with said combination of parameters, and an address code that identifies the physical location of the respective channel unit.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 10 , wherein said information customized for said associated access line is representative of quality of service and committed information rate for said associated access line.

Claim 19

A method according to claim 10 , wherein step (d) comprises selectively providing the right to transmit data, supplied by said associated access line, over said limited bandwidth aggregate data link, in response to said each frame relay channel unit's arbitration code being uniquely the largest of all arbitration participants.

Claim 20

A method according to claim 10 , wherein step c) comprises sequentially clocking respective bits of said arbitration codes onto said common arbitration link, and step d) comprises, in response any bit of an arbitration code differing from the bit state of said common arbitration link, terminating participation of the channel unit generating the different bit in said allocation of said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link.

Claim 21

For use with frame relay switching system having a plurality of frame relay channel units that are coupled to respective access lines for associated user equipments, said frame relay channel units being operative to statistically multiplex data from said access lines onto an aggregate data communication link having a limited bandwidth that is less than the cumulative data capacity of all of said access lines, a method for arbitrating the allocation of said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link among said access lines comprising the steps of: (a) coupling each frame relay channel unit to a common arbitration link, through which each frame relay channel unit may simultaneously share arbitration information representative of the right to transmit over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link; (b) in response to a request from any of said plurality of access lines to transmit data supplied thereby over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link, generating within each frame relay channel unit an arbitration code that includes information representative of whether its associated access line has data to be transmitted, and an arbitration value based upon a combination of parameters, including accumulated queuing delay and information customized for said associated access line; and (c) sequentially clocking respective bits of said arbitration codes onto said common arbitration link, and selectively providing the right to transmit over said limited bandwidth aggregate data link to that frame relay channel unit whose arbitration code bit states match the states of said common arbitration link throughout the sequential clocking of that frame relay channel unit onto said common arbitration link.

Claim 22

For use with frame relay switching system having a plurality of frame relay channel units that are coupled to respective access lines for associated user equipments, said frame relay channel units being operative to statistically multiplex data from said access lines onto an aggregate data communication link having a limited bandwidth that is less than the cumulative data capacity of all of said access lines, a method for arbitrating the allocation of said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link among said access lines comprising the steps of: (a) coupling each frame relay channel unit to a common arbitration link, through which each frame relay channel unit may simultaneously share arbitration information representative of the right to transmit over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link; (b) in response to a request from any of said plurality of access lines to transmit data supplied thereby over said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link, generating within each frame relay channel unit an arbitration code that includes information representative of whether its associated access line has data to be transmitted, and an arbitration value based upon a combination of parameters, including accumulated queuing delay and information customized for said associated access line; and (c) sequentially clocking respective bits of said arbitration codes onto said common arbitration link, and selectively providing the right to transmit over said limited bandwidth aggregate data link to that frame relay channel unit whose arbitration code bit states match the states of said common arbitration link throughout the sequential clocking of that frame relay channel unit onto said common arbitration link.

Claim 23

A method according to claim 19 , wherein step (c) comprises, in response to any bit of an arbitration code differing from the bit state of said common arbitration link, terminating participation of the channel unit generating the different bit in said allocation of said limited bandwidth aggregate data communication link.